12 min
Overview
Early explorers of the Sierra Nevada Mountains often set their sights not on the lofty peaks, sparkling lakes, and lush meadows but on the area’s mineral resources. As one of the most formidable natural barriers in the country, the Sierra also prevented the easy transfer of mineral resources from the Owens Valley to the San Joaquin Valley. Around the time the Civil War raged, numerous explorers attempted to establish routes over the formidable barriers of the Great Western Divide, Kern Canyon, and the Sierra Crest. One such explorer, John B. Hockett of Tulare County, established a route beginning in the foothills surrounding the South Fork Kaweah River watershed. This route headed along the South Fork onto a plateau dotted with expansive meadows before crossing the Great Western Divide at a relative low point. The trail then continued through what’s now known as the Golden Trout Wilderness before reaching the Lone Pine region. Although safer and more efficient trans-Sierra routes would eventually open, the Hockett corridor became a hiking route when activity in the Southern Sierra transitioned from resource exploitation to recreation. Denied the notoriety of establishing a preferred trade route, Hockett at least received the honor of having a meadow named after him – Hockett Meadow. This meadow lies at the heart of this choose-your-own-adventure write-up. No fewer than three trails – including a new alignment of the historic Hockett route – provide access to the meadow, and this write-up covers the Atwell-Hockett Trail departing from the Atwell Mill Campground. A second trail, the more mellow but less scenic Tar Gap Trail, departs from Cold Springs Campground. A third route, which departs from the South Fork campground and passes through Garfield Grove, is less desirable owing to the often excessive summertime heat at the trailhead and the sustained, steep grade. As a destination, Hockett Meadow provides a somewhat-less-visited option that features several potential day hikes that you can enjoy over a 3-4 day s
Trail Stats
35.0 km
1371 m
2657 m
1818 m
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